Would it be dreadful to do an audit of who sent us Christmas cards this year...

[CruCru]

...and then next year only send them to people who send them to us? I send about 100 cards and it takes up quite a lot of time (and cost). There are people who I know haven't got round to it (just moved house, new baby etc) which is fair enough but I'm sure that I send cards year after year to people who don't send me one.

I must point out that I love doing cards but I only want to send cards to people who enjoy getting them. I assume that people who choose not to send cards don't care very much whether they receive them.

I've never gone through the Christmas cards before because I don't think it is Quite In The Spirit Of Christmas but perhaps it is time.

Sent 25. Have 15 so far - some of which are from DH's relatives and he hasn't sent any. I will take them down after Christmas and write down who I got some off and only they will get one next year.

It's a minefield!!

Oh flip. I feel awful. Have only sent about 6. I always mean to do all of them and usually write them, but it's the addresses and posting. I often half do them, and then they look reproachfully at me from the card box in the new year. I do love getting them though.

The year DD1(7) was born, I posted all the cards on Boxing Day

We send to elderly relatives and distant friends, but not to people we see regularly.

I love Christmas cards. I love giving them and I love receiving them. I don't make a note of who sent us one unless it's someone I haven't sent one to - then they get added to the list.

I don't knock people off the list because they haven't sent one. They stay there until we fall out or they die.

See this year I've written and sent just over 90 cards, hence the spreadsheet and the 3 year rule

I like sending cards. I have several "eras" of my life and I only stay in touch with some old friends via xmas cards now. I know it's not a proper relationship, but we like it. I live 100s of miles from a lot of them, if we lived closer we'd do occasional coffees, but we don't.. I usually write a paragraph or two about what's going on in my life. They do too. One this year has had/is having a hard time, so when the decorations and cards come down I will be sending her flowers to brighten up her January. She might not be a real friend nowadays, but she is someone I look back on fondly.. I usually make the cards too.

I do keep a list. It's my list of who I send to, it lives with my decorations. I tick off who sent me cards and I also have an oops list for those I got cards from and didn't send to. I also keep a book do who sent/received what for presents so I don't repeat.

I have no issue with people who don't send cards. It's up to the individual. I can't bear the smug statuses on Facebook about how they're donating to charity instead. Doesn't need publicising! I donate as well but don't brag about it!

This year I sent 70, I usually get about 60-65 back, I think. I like them up on the bookshelves, they become part of the decorations.

I have always sent cards, and I like receiving them too. But this year I have some really horrible stuff going on in my life and I just haven't had the time to do cards as I've had so much on my mind. I'm hoping people who know me will understand that I'm not deliberately ignoring them.

Sof course they will treaclesoda, I've had occasional years like that where I just wasn't feeling it and didn't bother doing Xmas. Hope things pick up for you soon.

The time for a spreadsheet is minimal as far as I am concerned. Took a little while the first year but now its just the same as a list - advantage for me is if I get a birth announcement during the year I can add the babies name to the list without having to go and find a list - it's close at hand.

I enjoy sending them, its a way of keeping in touch with some of my late mum's friends who she would have updated with what goes on in her life, as others have said its friendships which due to moving/busy lives aren't ones where a quick coffee is possible.

Everyone on my list I could sit and have a coffee with if the opportunity arose. I probably get about 90-95% back.

Cost is not a biggie for me, I always get my cards in the sales at this time of year - in fact got them already for next year for a total cost of £6 for about 120 cards. Postage is the pain but what is 52p spent on one person once a year!

It's a personal choice people make, neither right or wrong.